The decking of the traditional fir tree is one of the highlights for young and old as part of the Christmas preparations. However, there is one Christmas tree in Cardiff which will have more significance than most again this year. The Tree of Hope, located outside Stafell Fyw Caerdydd Living Room Cardiff, is being lit up at 6pm on Wednesday, 12 December 2012.

The tree offers an opportunity to attach a star enclosing a message of hope as a way of celebrating freedom from addiction, honouring persons successfully achieving recovery, to dedicate rays of hope to those still struggling in their illness and those working in the field, and to commemorate lives lost to this tragic and misunderstood disease

We would encourage as many people as possible to give an hour or two out of their day in the run up to the Christmas celebrations to help those who are recovering whilst also remembering those who were not so fortunate.

After the Tree of Hope ceremony there will be curry and carols to round off the evening.

Recovery Cymru is delighted to be part of the Tree of Hope event. We believe that celebrating recovery and the different paths we take, whilst paying tribute to those we have lost along the way allows us all to recognise how special recovery is and to share that message to others. We would like to dedicate our involvement to our dear friend Matt. We look forward to seeing you there. Love, The RC team.

To have a special message inscribed on an individual star of hope, please call Living Room Cardiff on 029 20493895 or email info@welshcouncil.org.uk by 9 ^th December 2011.

This event is organised by the same team that brought you the first ever Welsh National Recovery Walk in 2011.

Coeden Gobaith yn gwreiddio yng Nghaerdydd

Mae addurnor goeden binwydd yn ddigwyddiad y maer hen ar ifanc fel ei gilydd yn edrych ymlaen ato fel rhan o baratoadaur Nadolig. Ond mae un goeden Nadolig yng Nghaerdydd eto eleni gyda mwy o arwyddocd nar mwyafrif. Maer Goeden Gobaith, wedii lleoli yn Stafell Fyw Caerdydd - Living Room Cardiff, yn cael ei goleuo am 6pm ar ddydd Mercher, 12 Rhagfyr 2012.

Bydd cyfle i lynu seren ir goeden syn cynnwys neges o obaith fel ffordd o ddathlu gwellhad un annwyl, i ddangos diolchgarwch am gymorth mewn gwellhad personol, ac fel ffordd o gofior rhai au collwyd yn sgil dibyniaeth.

Gobeithio y bydd cymaint o bobl ag syn bosib yn ein helpu i fod yn llusern ddisglair o obaith ir rhai syn dal i frwydro yn erbyn dibyniaeth, ac i anfon neges o ddiolch drwy roi seren ar ein Coeden Gobaith.

Yn dilyn seremonir Goeden Gobaith bydd cyfle i ganu carolau a mwynhau mochyn wedi ei rostio.

Mae Recovery Cymru yn falch i fod yn rhan or Goeden Obaith. Rydym ni yn credu fod dathlu adferiad ar gwahanol lwybrau rydym yn eu cymryd, tran talu teyrnged ir rhai hynny gollwyd ar y ffordd, yn caniatau inni gyd sylweddoli pa mor arbennig yw adferiad. Ac I rannur neges honno I eraill. Hoffen gysegun hymrwymiad In cyfaill annwyl, Matt. EDrychwn ymlaen at eich gweld yno. Cariad. T m RC.

Er mwyn cael neges arbennig wedi arysgrifio ar seren obaith unigol, ffoniwch Stafell Fyw Caerdydd ar 029 20493895 neu e-bostiwch info@welshcouncil.org.uk erbyn y 9 o Ragfyr 2012.

As the acclaim piles up for their third LP, Anglo-Welsh-American psychedelic rockers Howl Griff give London a double-header this weekend with FREE gigs both north and south of the river.

On Friday 23rd November the band are playing at Ryan's Bar in Stoke Newington , and on Saturday 24th it's the Queen's Head in Brixton . Entry to both is free; maps and details at http://www.howlgriff.com/gigs.html

The ' Fragile Diamond ' album has been universally adored by the critics, with radio plays worldwide including BBC 6Music and being BBC Radio Wales's Album of the Week . The Line Of Best Fit said "HG sprinkle cuteness where it fits into the compositions but leave them alone when it doesnt... effortlessly marrying indie rock and endearing songwriting . In other words, you can be adorable without descending into hipster irony."

Louder Than War said " Trust me on this, you should hear this band . Its an album you should have your life will be a tiny bit shinier for hearing it" while the Western Mail said "you could be forgiven for thinking that Howl Griff are the result of some genetic experiment in a laboratory undertaking pioneering research into the creation of the perfect melody ."

Music News simply says Howl Griff are very, very good , developing their songwriting to a place that is as good as anyone around today . There isnt a duff number or a filler on the album, while Stuff magazine called it "The perfect antidote to autumn's inexorable onset, warm, fuzzy and saturated with summery charm ".

You can read more quotes and hear the album - at http://www.howlgriff.com/

Fragile Diamond follows Howl Griff's critically-acclaimed eponymous Welsh-language debut (which Clash magazine called the work of a Welsh Brian Wilson) and English-language LP The Hum which yielded much coverage on BBC 6Music including an MPFree of the Day, a BBC Radio Wales Single of the Week and being hailed as bloody lush by Lauren Laverne .

Lead single Fragile Diamond sees the band swinging melodically through a song that examines the fragility of life against a backdrop drenched in lush three-part harmonies . Elsewhere, theres the epic Meet My Maker (based on singer Griffs experiences of going blind while driving down the fast lane of the M4), the blistering riff-based 70s rock of She Walks On By The Flame , thumping disco beats of Sharkfins In The Sky (with more real-life lyrics, this time about a murder at an ice rink underneath the bands studio) and "maritime cowboy" anthem Rose of Emily (must be the influence of the Texan bass player). More track info and lyrics can be found at http://www.howlgriff.com

Howl Griff are:
Hywel Griffiths, lead vocals and guitar
Gary Parkinson, guitar and backing vocals
Steve Kennedy, bass and backing vocals
Nick Moore, drums and percussion

Press/photos: Ffion Davies at AltPR
ffion@altsounds.com 07889 355 051
TV / Radio Promotion: Ron McCreight
ronmccreight@btinternet.com 07775 663 537
Record label: Dockrad
post@dockrad.com www.dockrad.com 07950 938 227

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